Brueghel's Two Monkeys

Abstract

Progress in finding alternatives to animal tests continues to be painfully slow, and pain is certainly the operative word for animals involved in the tests. US government agencies are not simply being slow, they are not moving forward at all. For example, the US Environmental Protection Agency has been directed by Congress to spend a small amount of its budget on non-animal test method development, yet it has not done so, and the in vivo percutaneous absorption test continues to be used, despite the existence of an approved non-animal method. A movement is building that may compel industry to stop hiding behind the regulators and take action. There are excellent reasons, to stop fighting such advances. For ethical, practical, business and other reasons, it is time to enthusiastically embrace an effective approach to finding, advocating and adopting non-animal test methods.